Birzeit University breaks into QS World University Rankings

Birzeit University breaks into QS World University Rankings

For the first time, Birzeit University has been listed in the 14th edition of the “QS World University Rankings 2018”. Chosen among 26 thousand universities worldwide, the University was among 3% of the best universities in the world. The list included about 950 universities.

The Quacquarelli Symonds Rankings is an annual ranking of the top universities around the globe. Birzeit University is the only Palestinian university to enter the QS World University Rankings this year.

The University was among a number of prominent Arab universities including the Arabian Gulf University- Bahrain, American University in Cairo- Egypt, University of Baghdad- Iraq, University of Jordan, Kuwait University, American University of Beirut- Lebanon, Université Mohammed V de Rabat –Morocco, Sultan Qaboos University-Oman, Qatar University, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) – Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates University.

Birzeit University President Abdellatif Abuhijleh expressed his pride in this unprecedented achievement. He said that this international recognition is shaped by the university’s combined efforts to push the boundaries of research and provide innovative educational opportunities.

The university’s strong performance in this year’s ranking is based on the following key indicators: the university’s academic reputation, employer reputation, citations per faculty, student to faculty ratio, international faculty, and international students. These ranking indicators can be viewed, as such, as a reflection of the quality of education and research offered by the university, in addition to its local and international impact.

Birzeit University retained its title as Palestine’s best university in all the previously mentioned indicators, while exceeding a number of well known regional and international universities in terms of academic reputation.

“Despite the political thwarts imposed by the Israeli occupation, and the fact that we are facing many obstacles due to our financial crisis, the university will never stop its efforts to empower its academic excellence, develop new programs, and enhance its educational and research infrastructure”, Abuhijleh commented.

In a related context, QS ranking will soon announce its new edition of the rankings of the top universities in the Arab world. In the past two years, Birzeit University was ranked first among local universities, and was ranked 50th among Arabs in the last edition of QS.